3,089 of the
17,279 complaints filed about the Honda Odyssey
are about the transmission —
100% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2002.
3,089
Complaints
100%
Share of all complaints
49
Crashes
24
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
My 2024 Honda Odyssey has repeatedly failed to restart after the Auto Idle Stop system shuts the engine off while stopped at a red light or in traffic. Normally, the engine should automatically restart when I release the brake, but on several occasions the vehicle completely shut down and I had to manually restart it. During one incident, the vehicle would not restart for approximately 1–2 minutes despite repeated attempts. This left the vehicle disabled in traffic and created a serious safety concern. The problem has occurred multiple times.
NHTSA complaint #11764011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The van got stuck in park after backing out of a parking lot. Changed to drive but gear shift back to park. Have to restarted the car twice. People were honking nonstop. This is not safe.
NHTSA complaint #11764254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle began to misfire on cylinder 3. As the issue continued more cylinders stared to misfire. Next was number 6, then 2 increased up the engine. Air fuel ratio was 1.6. Assuming it was fuel/air/electrical in nature, the spark plugs, and fuel injector were changed and air intake and upper valves were cleaned of carbon build up. All gaskets replaced by new. Discovered and replaced a bad egr valve. Last codes that the car displayed before towing to dealer were many misfire codes and 2 engine/transmission communication errors. Dealer shop discovered air fuel ratio of 1.35 and checked all work before. Discovered fuel pooling and some shiny areas in the engine from scoping it. Decided that if was a bad engine with internal failure and transmission. Quoted me $17000 (about the same value as the vehicle if it was jn very good condition) for a new engine and transmission or $6800 for a used engine alone at risk of replacing transmission as well assuming communication errors do not go way or transmission fails further. I have called honda corporate my reference # 16624114. I requested goodwill repair due to recalls and class action lawsuits related to connecting rods in engines of similar cars and model years. And transmissions recalls for similar cars and model years. Goodwill is unlikely but pending.
NHTSA complaint #11763879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When attempting to accelerate after completing a stop, there was no response from the vehicle when the accelerator was pressed for 2-3 seconds, then the vehicle suddenly lurched violently forward and hit the rear end of a vehicle in front causing severe damage to the cars.
NHTSA complaint #11763768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while coming to a complete stop at a red light or a stop sign, the vehicle stalled and shut off unintendedly. There was no warning light. The vehicle was restarted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that there was an ongoing investigation associated with the failure. The vehicle was not repaired.
NHTSA complaint #11763725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My vehicle intermittently shifts from normal automatic Drive (D) into S mode without any intentional driver input. I do not touch or activate the steering-wheel paddle shifter when this occurs. Searching on reddit and other forums I see many other drivers have the same issue. The problem appears to happen primarily after coming to a complete stop, such as at a traffic light or stop sign. When I then press the accelerator to proceed, the vehicle may have very little acceleration because it has unexpectedly entered S mode. This has occurred while I was attempting to turn or proceed into traffic and has nearly caused an accident on multiple occasions. The issue is intermittent and cannot be reproduced on demand. However, it has happened multiple times under similar circumstances. I am certain I did not intentionally activate the paddle shifter. I am concerned this may be a safety defect involving the electronic shift control, paddle shifter, transmission controls, sensors, or related software. An unexpected change in transmission mode immediately after stopping can create a dangerous situation because the driver expects normal automatic operation and acceleration when entering an intersection or traffic. I am requesting that NHTSA document this complaint and investigate whether this is a safety-related defect that may affect other vehicles.
NHTSA complaint #11763173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2019 Honda Odyssey has a recurring and dangerous hesitation-to-accelerate defect that began within a few weeks of purchase and has continued for approximately one year, occurring roughly once every 5 times I drive the vehicle. The failure occurs when accelerating from a stop or slow speed, most critically when crossing traffic — for example, turning left across an oncoming lane or pulling out into a road with an approaching vehicle. When I press the accelerator pedal, the vehicle fails to respond for approximately 2-3 seconds. The pedal feels unresponsive during this delay. The transmission then suddenly engages and the vehicle accelerates abruptly and rapidly. This has created several genuinely dangerous situations. On multiple occasions, while attempting to cross traffic or complete a left turn, the vehicle did not move as expected while another vehicle was approaching, leaving me exposed in the roadway during the delay before the sudden acceleration occurred. These were not near-miss "in my head" moments — an approaching vehicle was close enough that the delay put me at direct risk of a collision. I brought this to my Honda dealer for inspection. The dealer was unable to reproduce the issue during their test drive and found no diagnostic trouble codes. The vehicle was returned to me with no repair performed. I have researched this issue and found it to be widely reported among other 2018-2020 Honda Odyssey owners, with symptoms matching mine almost exactly — hesitation from a stop followed by sudden, uncontrolled acceleration, particularly when crossing traffic at intersections. I am also aware this transmission (9-speed, ZF-sourced) is the subject of a class action lawsuit (Browning, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co.) alleging a defective transmission programming/design issue causing this exact symptom pattern. This is an active and ongoing safety hazard: the vehicle is unpredictable during exactly the maneuvers (left turns, crossing traffic, merging) w
NHTSA complaint #11762752 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle experienced multiple sudden engine stalls while driving in traffic. Specifically, the engine shut off unexpectedly and the transmission automatically shifted into Park (P) while on the road, leaving the vehicle immobilized and unable to be manually shifted out of P. Restarting the vehicle was extremely difficult, which created a severe safety hazard and nearly caused a rear-end collision. The vehicle was inspected and confirmed by an authorized Honda dealer that the starter failed. The starter has since been replaced. The failed component is available for inspection upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11761926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle would not accelerate over 40MPH, we took the vehicle into the dealership for what we thought was a failed fuel injector, upon inspection they found metal shavings in the oil and mentioned the engine is not repairable and would need a whole new replacement. We had this vehicle 9 months. Upon investigation there was a known recall that is identical to the issues we are experiencing. The whole engine is failed and we cannot utilize it. It was inspected by the dealership. The check engine light is illuminating, and does not increase in speed. My family and I were unable to drive at a reasonable speed on the highway once it failed.
NHTSA complaint #11761430 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
For several weeks, my 2025 Honda Odyssey, with approximately 30,000 miles, had been jerking while being driven. An independent mechanic believed the problem might be transmission-related. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Honda dealership, reported the jerking and specifically stated that I suspected a transmission problem. The dealership recommended and performed a transmission-fluid service. On August 24, 2026, at approximately 4:00 p.m., my wife was driving on the New Jersey Turnpike with our children when the vehicle suddenly jerked and behaved as though the transmission was attempting to engage reverse while the vehicle was moving forward. This created an immediate loss of predictable vehicle control and nearly caused an accident. My wife managed to pull into a parking lot. The vehicle then would not move in reverse and displayed a transmission-system warning. The vehicle was returned to the authorized Honda dealership. The dealership subsequently determined that the transmission required replacement, and it is currently being replaced under warranty. No collision or physical injury occurred, but this sudden transmission malfunction placed my wife, our children and other motorists at serious risk. The vehicle is currently at the dealership, and the failed transmission may be available through the dealer or manufacturer. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this is a safety defect affecting the transmission or powertrain in the 2025 Honda Odyssey.
NHTSA complaint #11761184 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Engine failed to restart after turning off at idle at a stop. When releasing the brake the engine tried to turn on but stalled out. It is available for inspection upon request. No major safety concern, traffic behind the vehicle was prohibited from moving until the vehicle could be restarted. The failure has not been reproduced by a dealer or service center, or inspected by anyone else. There were no warning lights but after the failure a message displayed saying “To continue to drive, depress brake pedal and push switch”. The failure first appeared after 10,000 miles and occurred between 5-10 times since then.
NHTSA complaint #11760646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The car on a weekly basis or almost every time it is driven. The car jerks when driving at low speeds. This is a safety risk when driving for vehicles in front or behind me, as the car jerks forward. This has been mentioned to the dealer, but they stated a charge of 180 USD will be incurred for diagnoses. If you look at the NHTSA complaints database there are numerous complaints similar to what I am experiencing from other owners stating the same issue of jerkiness on the honda Odessey. I am surprised there is no recall on this. I put the date in down below but it happens almost every time the car is driven.
NHTSA complaint #11760061 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My van will stall at red-lights. It started three weeks ago. The car is a year and a half old. The auto- idle stop system is activated. We stop at a red light. Car stops. When we go to start car dings and thankfully has started 3 times. This time, the car made a ding and did not re-start. I was stuck at a now green light and couldn't move. The dash flashed hit the brake to re-start. I did numerous times. I couldn't get the car to switch to park or drive. I tried switching the car on and off and couldn't get it restarted. I was disabled for about 2 minutes before it kicked back on. My kids were in the car and this scared me.
NHTSA complaint #11760051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When the engine is hot, the car hesitates to start for a couple seconds. Occurs on really hot days especially after stopping and starting the engine such as after getting gas or on idle stop at a redlight. The motor starter has been replaced by Honda to a new one but the issue can re-occur as the part being replaced is the same with the same build and will likely fail again in hot conditions.
NHTSA complaint #11757634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While at a stop light on a major road, the vehicles auto start stop engaged. Upon the light turning green, I released the brake and vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle put itself into park and flashed a warning message "problem detected....." . I pressed the start button, and at first the vehicle failed to start, making a clicking sound, consistent with a dead battery or starter. I had to press the start button 4 times before the vehicle restarted and I could proceed. I was extremely concerned as I had my wife and three kids in the car, unable to move forward on a major roadway. I have an appointment at the dealer for this Friday.
NHTSA complaint #11757358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While stopped at a red light or intersection, the vehicle's Auto Idle Stop feature engages and shuts off the engine as designed. However, on multiple occasions, the engine has failed to automatically restart when the brake pedal is released. The vehicle remains stalled and unresponsive in the middle of the intersection or traffic lane, creating a safety risk to myself and other drivers, particularly at busy intersections. In some instances, the vehicle needed to be fully powered off and restarted before it would move again. This is a known and widely reported defect affecting Honda and Acura vehicles with the Auto Idle Stop system, currently under NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA25004. The problem has occurred repeatedly and unpredictably, with no consistent warning beforehand. The vehicle and its Auto Idle Stop system are available for inspection upon request. The problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer, though I intend to bring it in for diagnosis. There were no warning lamps or messages before the failures occurred; the only symptom was the engine simply not restarting after an automatic idle stop.
NHTSA complaint #11757543 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wife was going to the store engine lost power and died prior to that steering got loose like trying to turn itself, towed to dealer inspected dealer cleaned throttle returned vehicle after cost of 807.00 and drove van to church tailgate would not open without vehicle running, got home turned off windshield washers operated brittle with key off, remote key system problem displayed also hill hold, brake failure and steering message on dash prior, dealer picked up van inspected again found defective seal sealer on passenger side leak in water on wiring harness pins and soaking power distribution box said that was causing issues and stalling driving and safety system issues, van is at dealer, also tailgate after you open with ding when open and will close by itself, safety issues will close while you or small child in at back closes from behind you
NHTSA complaint #11755762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving the car lurches as it shifts gears. This had gone on for quite some time but no codes have been thrown. This last time the car lurched so badly at the beginning of acceleration that I thought it was going to stall. It did not, but lights began flashing on the dash and when codes were (finally) thrown I was told I needed a new transmission altogether.
NHTSA complaint #11755352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 2 occasions now automatic Start/Stop system has failed to restart. First was approximately 5 weeks ago and Second was Monday 3 Aug 2026. Dealer on first occurrence said there was a loose wire. Have not been to Dealer on 2nd occurrence yet. Situation in both cases is the vehicle was seemingly operating normally with no warnings displayed and I stopped in traffic. When traffic cleared and I tried to proceed; the vehicle was non responsive and would not start when I activated the normal start sequence.
NHTSA complaint #11755363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.